Kudumbashree Matrimony, the innovative initiative put forward by Kudumbashree Thrissur District Mission which stand out unique being the first of its kind in the state, is being extended to other districts of Kerala. It's following the success of the initiative, it is being scaled up to other districts.1000 volunteers had already been given training and the operations at Kazargode District would be started very soon. Kudumbashree Matrimony would be extended to Kannur, Kozhikode, Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Kollam Districts by August 2018. District wise offices would be opened in the first phase and later Block wise and Taluk wise offices would also be opened.The District wise offices would have District Co-ordinators as well.Those interested may register to the matrimony may make their registrations directly or through phone or online. The existing website of the Kudumbashree Matrimony at Thrissur would be used for the state level operations as well.

Smt. Sindhu Balan is the woman behind this innovative initiative. She put forward the idea of Kudumbashree Matrimony during the Plan Review Meeting held at Thrissur District Mission office. It is possible to get an accurate picture of the potential brides and grooms through the Kudumbashree networks very easily. No other organisation have such a network like that Kudumbashree holds and therefore it would be easily possible to get a correct profile of the potential candidates seeking alliance without any difficulty. And therefore the issues caused by the marriage fraudsters could be avoided. According to Sindhu, only Kudumbashree Mission could something against the marriage frauds, by making use of the vast network that Kudumbashree possess all over the state.

Kudumbashree Matrimony started functioning when Shri. A.C Moideen, Minister for Industries, Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Kerala inaugurated the initiative in 25 July 2016 at Porkkulam, near Kunnamkulam in Thrissur district. Kudumbashree matrimony unit would be charging much lower amount than the other commercial establishments in the field. The fees fixed currently are Rs 750 for the youngsters from the families of the Kudumbashree members and Rs 1000 for those from the potential brides and grooms from other families. The best matches for the bride and groom are founded through software. Those have internet access may login through the website and get the details of the matching profiles and for the others, the matching profiles are sent through post. The details of the bride and groom would be posted in the website only after cross checking it with the concerned CDSs.

As Kudumbashree Matrimony at Thrissur is to celebrate the second anniversary, it had successfully made happen more than 100 marriages so far. Kudumbashree Matrimony is earning an average of Rs 40,000 to Rs 60,000 every month. The nominal rate and good quality are the hallmark of Kudumbashree Matrimony that more people getting attracted to it.

The Student Support Centre of DDU-GKY was officially launched. Dr. K.T Jaleel, Minister, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala inaugurated the Student Support Centre at a function held at Kanakakkunnu Palace Main Hall on 10 July 2018. The Student Support Centre consists of Migration Support Centre, Job Portal and Call Centre. Minister made the official launch by making a call to the Call Centre which is set up at Ernakulam. The Support Centre would help to minimize the exploitation existing in the employment sector. Minister said. DDUGKY Kerala has become a role model for the whole nation by launching the first-of- its kind Student Support Centre in Kerala. The Job seekers would be able to get idea about the current openings through DDUGKY Job Portal. He added.

The Awards for the Best Project Implementing Agencies (PIA) was also given away at the function. Wayanad Social Service Society, Dentcare Dental Labs Private Limited from Muvattupuzha and Mega Industries from Thrissur bagged the First, second and third prizes respectively. Minister also launched the 3 'Promotional Videos' made by KSFDC for the promotional activities of DDUGKY programme in Kerala.

DDUGKY Kerala had received the national award for being the second best state nodal agency for implementing DDU-GKY programme during 2017-18 and had also bagged the national award for being the third best state nodal agency for implementing DDU-GKY programme during 2016-17. Kudumbashree Mission has been working to reduce the vagaries associated with migration of the DDU-GKY youth in three ways by offering them suitable training opportunities, helping them prepare for employment away from home and by providing counseling and support services for a reasonable period of time which would enable them to adapt to a foreign environment. Migration Support Centres (MSCs) established at Kochi is a further step in this direction.

Migration Support Centre offers counseling, access to information, acclimatization support and targeted services to displaced workers. It’s services also include pre-migration preparatory support for both domestic and abroad placed candidates, post-placement counseling, registering migrant workers and undertaking periodic counseling, facilitate accommodation, undertaking qualitative research amongst candidates and employers as follow-up to post placement tracking, job retention and career progression counseling, facilitation for securing utility services, provide inter-department or inter-institution liaison support, providing support to workers in case of exigencies and work disputes etc. The call centre would help in resolving the grievances of candidates and act as an important source of information for candidates, and would also act as Public Grievance Redressal system. The job portal would enable the employer to select the appropriate aspirant from a pool of trained candidates from training centres across the state. The employees would also get the information on the current openings as well. The monitoring of the same would be done by the Kudumbashree SRLM. The software will have provision to update the data of the 20,000 candidates of DDU-GKY who had received job placements till now, which will help in tracking the candidates. The Migration Support Centre was started in Kochi itself as most of the students find job opportunities in Kochi.

DDUGKY, the skill training and placement programme under the Ministry of Rural Development ( MoRD) occupies a unique position amongst the other skill training programmes due to its focus to the poor rural youth and its emphasis on sustainable employment through the prominence and incentives given to post placement tracking, retention and career progression. Kudumbashree SRLM is planning to give skill training to 30,000 rural youth during 2018-2019.

A total of 204 construction teams are getting ready to rephrase the history by undertaking the works in construction sector. A total of 204 new Kudumbashree construction groups are identified across the state. This is in addition to the 70 Kudumbashree trained groups in the state. So, altogether it makes 274. Out of 204 new teams, training in house construction have been started for 63 teams, and it will be started in a couple of weeks for the remaining teams. The team is undergoing training by constructing one house of a LIFE mission beneficiary. 29 such houses are being constructed as a part of training of the 63 groups, and construction of about 70 houses will be undertaken when the training for all 204 group commences. The construction of one house of the same kind was completed within record time of 40 days. Out of the 204 groups identified, 9 are urban groups and 195 are rural groups.

It was on anticipating the huge shortage of labour force in the near future because of various determined Government campaigns of mass housing,that training was extended to women in construction sector. So that groups of micro contractors could be formed, who can take up the construction of houses of poor and needy, in addition to taking up of bigger projects. As a part of LIFE mission more than 2.5 lakh houses are being constructed in the state in this financial year. This provides huge employment opportunity for women construction groups. Further, once the construction groups completes 3/4 houses, it is aimed to upgrade them to become micro contractors for taking up various works of local self governments. Training is given by taking up the construction of the beneficiaries of various government schemes like PMAY(U), LIFE etc.

Accredited agenicies like State Nirmithi Kendra, District Nirmithi Kendra, Maithri, Habitat, Thrissur Labour Contracting Society, Pinarayi Industrial Cooperative Society, Kerala State Housing Board, Kerala State Construction Corporation, Costford, Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society, Kitco, Eksath etc are extending construction training to the identified groups in the respective districts under the leadership of the the District Mission Coordinators. Training on construction activities for Kudumbashree members aims to extend skill training for women in various trades in the construction industry for enhancing the skill of the women in construction related activities such that a sustainable income is generated.

Kudumbashree women completed construction of a LIFE Mission house in record time. It is within 40 days that 27 Kudumbashree women from Alappuzha completed the construction of LIFE Mission house at Pallipad, near Alappuzha.A beneficiary from Pallipad CDS was identified earlier and a group of 32 women were given training with the help of Eksath training centre. It was for Shri. Rameshan Kalachira from Pallipad and his family which consists of his wife Smt. Sheejamma and their daughter Sreekutty that the house was built. The project was named as 'Sreekuttykkoru Swapna Veedu' by Kudumbashree women.

This is the first construction work took up by the Kudumbashree Women. Kudumbashree Mission clubbed the construction for Life Mission and the construction training for the women together to reduce the cost of construction. Four masons gave leadership for the construction training. Along with the construction training, motivational training was also extended to them. Apart from that, training was also given in brick making and ferroslabs making. It is planned to build the Life Mission houses in each block in the same model. The same construction model would be replicated in another panchayaths as well. Kudumbashree women thus rewrote the history by completing their task within record time.

For attaining self sufficiency on demand of the propagation material for Kudumbashree as well as for the supply of best quality seedlings and saplings to all at reasonable and uniform rates throughout Kerala, Kudumbashree Mission would soon launch Jaivika plant Nurseries across the state. Till then, Kudumbashree had been depending on Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK) and Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) for meeting the seedling requirements. Presently, Kudumbashree have 159 existing plant nurseries in hand. In addition to this, 140 new plant nursery units would be established, in a manner of 10 units per district in the common brand name 'Jaivika'.

Considering the aspects such as sizable plot, road access, and availability of the basic resources, the nursery sites would be identified in the respective districts.140 units would be identified and given high end training in different propagation and maintenance techniques. The training would be imparted to the selected groups or individuals through various government departments or skilled personnel from other established units. These nurseries would have all kinds of planting materials including vegetables, fruit trees, ornamental plants and common trees developed through the latest propagation methods.

Revolving funds would be extended to each unit for the same. Scale up and branding of existing Kudumbashree nurseries are also contemplated along with. Online monitoring of stocks and sales will be done at later stage to ensure the sustainability of these nurseries.

Twenty five Kudumbashree Members will be offered job in Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KELTRON), which has been the catalysis for the development of electronics industry in Kerala. The placement is offered for the post of 24 computer operators and one cleaning staff. The selected would be placed at Keltron's Automated Enforcement Control Room at Kakkanad, Kochi. The interview for the posts would take place soon and the placements would be complete by 1 August 2018.

Keltron had communicated the requirement for the posts during June 2018 and Kudumbashree informed the willingness to arrange the required man power. SSLC (Pass), typewriting and minimum 6 months experience in data entry network are the preferred qualifications for the data entry operator. Kudumbashree had submitted a list of 39 incumbents who are having required qualification and are willing to work as per permissible emoluments to Keltron for the further selection process. Keltron would select the candidates through a personal interview which would take place soon. The operators are offered job in two shifts from 6 AM to 2 PM and 2 PM to 10 PM. Rs 13,979 and Rs 12,318 are offered to the computer operators and cleaning staff respectively. It also has put in place mandatory compliance like Employee's State Insurance (ESI) and Provident Fund (PF) provisions.

It is connection with the deployment of man power of Keltron's one of their major projects that they communicated their interest in associating with Kudumbashree for engaging suitable man power for the successful completion of the project. The MoU regarding the same would be signed soon. Kudumbashree has trained manpower in IT for data entry works who are sought after for similar works in NORKA, Insuarance sector, Registration Department, Motor Vehicle Department.

Kudumbashree Facility Management Center bagged the Excellence Award 2018 constituted by Kerala Management Association (KMA).The Award was presented to Kudumbashree Facility Management Center for Innovative HR initiatives. Shri. Dilraj, Project Manager, Facility Management Center received the Award at a function held at Le Meridian Convention Centre on 6 July 2018.

Kudumbashree has made its first major foray in facility management market by establishing its own Facility Management Center targeting at providing facility management services to major public and private sector companies such as Kochi Metro Rail Limited,Vyttila Mobility Hub, Panampilly Nagar Walkway Maintenance etc.

Facility Management Center has put in place a performance appraisal system in which the employee performance is measured and analysed based on the clients feedback and requirements. It also has mentoring and personal coaching program for employees to improve performance. A proper 'Rewards and Recognition' program was also implemented to keep the best performers motivated and committed to the work. To keep the staff updated with the new trends in the facility management markets, the service of the internal training team is also used to continuously train the staff. The staff are also trained on soft skills and business etiquette to exhibit behavioral discipline on the floor. It also has put in place all the legal and mandatory compliance like Minimum wages Act, Employee's State Insuarance (ESI) and Provident Fund (PF) provisions etc and also has a valid GST registration.

Kudumbashree Facility Management Center has today become an epicenter for providing employment for women by providing thousands of women employed with its clients. The KMA Excellence Awards are given away to corporate institutions every year for their excellence in performance in the respective areas. KMA was established in November 1957 by a group of dedicated and enterprising managers working in and around Cochin.

Kudumbashree Kozhikode District Mission's 'Payasam on Wheels'-Payasamela van is all set to welcome Onam adding more colours to the festive season of Kerala. The Kudumbashree Payasamela started near Mananchira Library has already started attracting masses. The mobile Payasamela was launched on 29 June 2018. Mulayari payasam (Bamboo Rice Payasam), Palada Payasam, Cherupayar Payasam and Parippu Payasam etc are the Payasams being served through the Payasamela mobile van. Smt. Sibitha Smt. Jaya, Smt. Usha, Smt. Radhika, Smt. Suhara and Smt. Ayisha of Navajyothi Kudumbashree unit are the women who are behind this Mobile payasam Van.

Mulayari Payasam is their special item. As it is a unique payasam, several people are coming in search of the payasamela mobile van for tasting their payasams. The mulayari bought from the 'Uravu' tribal society is being used for preparing payasam. The team had also been participating in several trade fairs as well. They had also been running a restaurant 'Ruchipura' serving delicious food and also selling parcels meals at city and near KSRTC and private bus stands. The Kudumbashree Kozhikode District Mission and and Kozhikode Corporation is extending full support to the team.

'Ente Hotel', launched by Kudumbashree Malappuram District Mission in convergence with Malappuram Municipality sets an extra ordinary model. The highlight of ' Ente Hotel' is that the energy conservation is ensured through steamers, the kitchen appliance which is used to prepare various foods with steam heat by means of holding the food in a closed vessel reducing steam escape. Using this appliance, 30 kg rice can be cooked within 30 to 40 minutes. Steamers preheat relatively quickly because of steam's high heat transfer. The units are usually well insulated to reduce heat loss to the kitchen and to require less energy to maintain temperature during slow times. Shri. P. Ubaidulla, MLA inaugurated the hotel on 5 July 2018.

The bond between Kudumbashree Malappuram District Mission and Malappuram Municipality is continuing for the last 20 years. The hotel is run by 5 members of Kudumbashree network under the DAY- NULM scheme. The Urban Local Body has provided 400 sqft space in Malappuram Bus stand and has also provided a revolving fund of Rs. 5 lakhs. The Kudumbashree group have also availed loan for Rs.4.25 lakhs from Union Bank of India. Malappuram Municiplaity and Kudumbashree District Mission of Malappuram is strengthening the bond between them once again through ‘Ente Hotel’. The Urban Local Body is also in the process of starting the She Lodge, an exclusive safe stay for women which will again be managed by the Malappuram CDS.

Kudumbashree reaches out to Rohingya refugees in Delhi transcending borders. Kudumbashree, the Poverty Eradication Programme of Kerala since its inception has been working a meaningful way touching the lives of millions. It has brought in a huge change in the lives of women in Kerala since its origin two decades back. Later Kudumbashree was recognized as a National Resource Organisation (NRO) by Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India, under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) to provide support to other States in their poverty eradication efforts.

Now, a group from Kudumbashree members from Kozhikode reached out the Rohingya refugee camps in Delhi extending support. It was under the leadership of Shri. Ramsi Ismail, Corporation Kudumbashree Member Secretary, a group of 13 member team visited the refugee camp.The team included CDS Chairpersons and members from Eksath Training Centre. The team visited 54 families at Kalindi Kunj, 38 families in Faridabad, 42 families in Majoodigav and 17 families in Mirzapur. Skill training programmes for the Rohingyan refugees will be commenced soon. Kudumbashree Eksat Training Centre will provide the staff to impart skill training in tailoring, soap manufacturing, candle, cloth bag and paper bag making. According to Shri. Ramsi Ismail, the marketing of the products would be done through the Mahila Mall, which would be launched soon by Kozhikode Corporation Kudumbashree, in association with the Kozhikode District Kudumbashree Mission. They also donated dresses and other essential commodities.

The Kudumbashree team also submitted a submission to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding the activities to be implemented in the Rohingyan refugee camps such as setting the basic facilities like drinking water, proper sanitation, medical camps and ensuring education facilities for the children among them. The team donated more than 500 dresses and 30 sacks of food grains to the refugees. The five day visit was conducted from 28 June 2018 - 2 July 2018.